HtcBliss
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How would you change HTC's Rhyme?
Clearly, it was never going to go down well with feminists, or the general public. HTC's "ladyphone" was found to sacrifice power and features for, erm, a flashing notification bauble that didn't even fit on our reviewer's purse. Its lackluster spec, patronizing marketing and plenty of bloatware meant we couldn't recommend this phone -- but if one wound up in your pocket / hand / handbag, how has life been with it? We want to know how you feel about the unit, does that good camera compensate for its flaws, how does the charm indicator work on a daily basis and most importantly of all, if you were offering suggestions for a revised version, how would you change HTC's Rhyme? The comments are this way, fill them with words and let's talk this one over.
HTC Runnymede spotted in the wild (updated with backup video)
From leak-town to the wild, HTC's Runnymede's getting a whole lot of pre-release love. This Beats Audio-branded handset's just received the quick and dirty hands-on treatment (or so it appears) on YouTube. If you're looking for details on where the phone came from or what's going on here, you've come to the wrong place, but judging from the Vodafone branding on the home screen, we're fairly certain that this is our first real-life spotting of the 4.7-inch Android phone. A rather off-center video awaits you after the break. [Thanks, Thomas] Update: Unsurprisingly, the original video got pulled, but we've slapped on a backup clip after the break.
HTC Rhyme with Sense 3.5 hands-on (video)
We're here at HTC's swank New York City press event where the mood lighting and floral centerpieces are as unabashedly girly as the Rhyme, its newest handset for lady folk. We just spent a few minutes wrapping our hands around the device, exploring the ports (not that there are many) and poking around the latest version of Sense (v3.5). Do you like purple? Are you a person of style? Sure you are. So what are you waiting for? Meet us after the break where we'll run down our first impressions and see what this thing has to offer beside that cute design. %Gallery-134392%
HTC Rhyme official: 3G, 3.7-inch display, single-core CPU, headed to Verizon for $199 on contract
Well, well. Looks like those leaked press shots (and hands-on photos and video walk-through) were on the money. HTC just officially announced the Rhyme -- that womanly handset otherwise known as the Bliss. As it happens, HTC isn't explicitly marketing this as a lady phone, though it bears all the markers of a device pandering toward those of us with XX chromosomes. Which is to say, it's petite and purple with middling specs. What you're looking at is a handset with a 3.7-inch WVGA display, a single-core 1GHz Qualcomm CPU, 768MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage space, a non-removable battery, microSD expansion slot, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS radios and dual 5MP / VGA cameras. The phone runs Android 2.3 with "next-generation" Sense (that would be version 3.5) layered on top. And, as rumored, you can pair it with an optional "Charm Indicator," a bubble that glows purple when the phone is ringing so that you'll never again miss a call because your phone is buried beneath nail files and fifty tubes of lipstick. Other accessories include a wireless dashboard speaker for the car, a dock and a workout armband. As that tell-tale FCC report revealed, the purple version you see up there will land on Verizon as a 3G device, with a silver version arriving in Asia and Europe next month. HTC has yet to confirm pricing or availability. If leaks are to be believed, though, those of you with small hands and deep murses should be able to pre-order yours any day now. Update: We're told that it'll sell for the typical $199 on a two-year contract (which includes all accessories), with pre-orders starting on the 22nd and availability pegged for September 29th. A bit steep given the specifications, but hey -- you'll pay a premium for style, right? Right? Update 2: As for global aspirations, we heard from an HTC representative that it'll soon be available on an unspecified amount of European carriers, where it'll be hawked as the "Hourglass," tinged in a "sand-like color." All other specifications and accessories will remain the same, though. Update 3: Check out our hands-on (with video!) right here. %Gallery-134387%
HTC Bliss to be called the Rhyme, launching September 20?
The HTC Bliss is a phone we've seen so much of that new press renders don't necessarily show us anything we haven't seen before -- there have been enough hands-on photos, walkthrough videos and leaked Sense 3.5 screenshots that there's really no questioning its future. The image you see above was leaked with a few new pieces of quality information: the Bliss will inevitably become the Rhyme once it hits stores -- which plays right into HTC's infatuation with Beats, though the tech probably won't be incorporated here -- and will likely be announced at the September 20th event (the date on the press image is often a solid indicator). HTCInside is also reporting that the Rhyme will be available in silver / white, pink / yellow and dark blue, so perhaps it isn't completely for the ladies, no?
HTC Runnymede and Bliss details sneak out from leak-town
Naming your flagship handset after a small village in Surrey isn't what we'd do, but then we aren't in the handset business. The first full render of the HTC Runnymede has leaked and as you can see, it's one big heap of telephone. It's the first phone to benefit from the company's partnership with Beats Audio and will come with a pair of Beats-branded cans rather than regular earbuds. If you missed the specs first time around, the 4.7-inch, 9.9mm thick phone gets a beastly 768MB of RAM, 1.5GHZ Qualcomm chip and a serious 8 megapixel camera with f2.2 lens and double LED flash round back. Availability is still up in the air but we know that UK prices are £499 or £530 for the 16 or 32GB versions (roughly $790 and $840, respectively). HTC also apparently thinks that women don't buy enough of its phones, so it's releasing the HTC Bliss, a smartphone that's reportedly designed specifically for women. HTC's belief is that the ladyphone needs to be smaller, gentler and do generally less than its contemporaries -- it gets a much smaller 3.7-inch Super LCD display and a 5 megapixel camera. This is my next has also confirmed that the Bliss comes with an accessory called the Charm Indicator, a light-up bauble that fits to a handbag or bracelet (depending on size) and flashes when your phone requires attention. There's no word on pricing or availability but presumably all will be revealed at the stylish HTC promo event on the 20th.
Sense 3.5 comes to the HTC Desire HD, unofficially
After seeing the screenshots and the video walkthrough of Sense 3.5, do you feel like you're missing out? Us too. Well, lucky folks in possession of HTC's Desire HD don't have to wait another minute, provided they're comfortable flashing custom ROMs. The crafty folks over at the XDA-Developers forums have taken a leaked version of the software from the upcoming Bliss and ported it over to the Desire HD. As to be expected, there are some bugs with this 2.3.4-based ROM -- Bluetooth doesn't work at all, reportedly -- but that seems like a small price to pay for living on the cutting edge of Android skins. Hit up the source link or fire up ROM Manager to download now. After all, why should some anonymous woman with silver fingernails have all the fun?
HTC Sense 3.5 caught on camera, gets a manicured walkthrough (video)
It was only a matter of time before leaked screen shots of HTC's Sense 3.5 became leaked video footage. Purportedly running on the OEM's unreleased, ladies-only Bliss handset, XDA.cn has a hands-on of the Android-based UI that looks to be more of a refinement, than revolutionary update. So, what can we glimpse from this apparent sneak peek? The ROM, shown to be running atop Android 2.3.4, now sports a more pared-down look, as evinced by the lock screen's sleeker ring. There's still the same seven homescreens on offer, although it now appears you can delete the contents of a selected screen by dragging it to the trash. Gone is the familiar home panel with its curved shape, in favor of two non-intrusive, dedicated app and phone buttons on the left and right sides of the screen. The widgets also look to have taken on a roomier size, and the volume can now be controlled via an on-screen widget. Aside from those minor tweaks, not much else has changed, but you can definitely see an improvement in the UI's fluidity. Could this be HTC's very next upgrade to its popular Android skin, or are we looking at a slickly-produced ROM? You can judge for yourself in the video after the break.
HTC Sense 3.5 beta screenshots leak, bring tears of joy to weather widget lovers
Now that you've seen high-quality images of the HTC Bliss with the screen turned off, are you curious to see what it looks like when it's on? The same folks at XDA.cn who got hands-on time with the Bliss have now come forth with possible screenshots showing the phone is indeed running on a beta version of Sense UI 3.5. What's new here? Even though the lock screen uses the same ring-style unlocking feature as its predecessor, it appears that the new UI will feature two dedicated buttons at the bottom of the home panel -- for the app tray on the left and phone on the right -- and refreshed widgets (including a larger weather panel), among other minor changes. Word also has it that HTC is removing hardware requirements that restricted version 3.0 to the company's highest-end devices, which gives hope to millions of Sense users still on an older, more streamlined UI. More screenshots can be found at the source link.
HTC Bliss gets its clearest photo session yet, shows off front-facing camera
The HTC Bliss is undoubtedly going through the typical pre-launch routine: it's passed through the ranks of the FCC, received its first Blurrycam session, and now we're finally seeing the upcoming device up close and personal. The folks at XDA China got their hands on one and took a few high-quality images for the world to see, which means we're probably not too far away from the phone's forthcoming release. They confirmed that the Bliss will in fact run on HTC Sense 3.5, feature a front-facing camera, and that it will come in a variety of colors. So, will we find this on display at next week's HTC meetup? Or maybe our team will get some hands-on time at IFA? And will this "female-oriented" smartphone find a place with its intended demographic? Hopefully the wait is almost over.
HTC announces September meetup event on Facebook, new phones on the way?
It looks like HTC may have some news in store for us on September 1st, when the company holds one of its public meetups in London. The folks over at Pocket-Lint noticed the event on HTC's Facebook page today, where the manufacturer posted an open invitation for the public to "come party" and "see what's next." At this point, it's hard to tell whether or not HTC will actually unveil anything in the way of new hardware, though there have been rumors swirling around a possible September release date for its Ruby and Bliss handsets, coupled with leaks of its forthcoming Puccini tablet. Plus, as Pocket-Lint observes, HTC's last public meetup came in the wake of the Sensation's release, so recent history suggests there may be something afoot this time, as well. We'll have to wait and see how it all shakes out, but you can hit up the source link for more information on attending the event, which is open on a first-come, first-served basis.
HTC Bliss spotted frolicking in the blurry wild?
We haven't heard much about the HTC Bliss since it popped up on a Verizon roadmap earlier this month, but the folks over at PocketNow have obtained photos of what could be the handset's first public appearance. The so-called "women only" smartphone, which recently passed through the FCC, is rumored to run on a 800MHz single-core processor and will reportedly sport a new version of HTC's Sense UI. It's also expected to run Android 2.3 and to rock a GSM 900MHz radio, though, as you can tell, it's a little difficult to glean any of that from the above blurry images. No word yet on whether it'll launch in September, as expected, or whether it'll look a bit more feminine when it does, but we'll keep you posted.
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 8, 2011
Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of August 8, 2011: A Toshiba TG01 running Windows Phone 7 was put on private sale. Sadly, the camera doesn't work and its resistive screen won't support multitouch, but otherwise seems to work fine. Offers are being accepted. [via MobileTechWorld] More leaked pictures of the LG Flip II surfaced, showing a couple more angles of the slider phone that has a secondary touch screen set right in between both sides of a split keyboard. Definitely not your average phone. [via LandofDroid] Tired of hearing about the Droid Bionic? Skip this blurb. Someone who said they were a tester of the Bionic claimed the new LTE device will, as hoped, have an improved battery life; in fact, the tester was able to get 15 hours of full use out it. [via AndroidCentral] Need your dumbphone fix? Verizon and LG announced the arrival of the LG Revere this week, a simple clamshell phone that, if you're not careful, could easily transport you back to 2005. It's packing a 1.3 megapixel camera and Bluetooth. That's about all there is to it. [via PRNewsWire] Google Movies, the video app that reached most Honeycomb devices over the summer, is now available for any Android device that has Froyo or better. The app gives you access to plenty of movie rentals and even gives you a spot to store your own personal collection. [via AndroidCentral] Samsung is rumored to be following the lead of Nokia and changing the naming scheme of its phones. Essentially, its Galaxy lineup would be grouped into four separate categories, each defined by its own letter: R would be top-of-the-line, W for high-tier, M for midrange, and Y for entry-level. A similar naming system would be set up for Sammy's Bada devices. Check the via for the full breakdown. [via UnwiredView] The HTC Bliss -- aka "the girl phone," as many seem to be calling it these days -- may be coming to Verizon as an exclusive before heading to Europe. It will come in three different color choices, has an 800MHz CPU with Adreno 205 GPU, and should be preloaded with Android 2.3.4 and HTC Sense 3.5. (thx Eugen) [via HTCInside(translated)] The Motorola Fire, Europe's version of the Droid Pro, is now up for presale in the UK. Online retailer Clove reports that the Fire, in addition to the specs we've already heard about, has a user interface named "Switch." We're curious to see if this is the official name of Blur's replacement. [via Phandroid] We've seen the HTC Merge hit US Cellular, but now it's available for Cellular South customers as well. It's all yours for $100 and a two-year commitment. [via AndroidCentral]
HTC Bliss stops by the FCC dressed in Verizon red (update)
Looking for a little FCC Friday rapture? HTC's rumored "women only" smartphone, the Bliss, just passed through the Commission's gates for a bit of strut and tell. Sporting the model number PI46110, the handset seems destined for a Big Red debut with CDMA 850MHz / 1900MHz bands, WiFi and Bluetooth on-board. The carrier looks to be continuing its recent trend of global-capable phones, as the device also packs a GSM 900MHz radio. While we weren't able to dig out any concrete dimensions for the phone, we'd err on the side of a 4-inch or below display, considering VZW's past dalliances with gender-specific marketing -- no, we haven't forgotten those Pre Plus ads. If that leaked roadmap is any indication, you ladies can expect to see this stylish (we assume) Android 2.3 accessory hit on September 29th. Update: A Verizon mailer has popped up over at xda-developers, and while the camera placement certainly seems to conflict, some folks are suggesting that what's shown there (and after the break) might just be the first legitimate shot of the Bliss. Here's hoping, right? Thanks, Liam!
Verizon Wireless year-end roadmap leaks, Android and LTE spotted on the horizon?
Nope. There's no mention of a Nexus Prime in this glimpse of VZW future, but don't let that stop you from drooling over the purported goods. The leaked shot over on IGN lays out a back-to-school road filled with Android phones a plenty, and one lone RIM entry. September 8th is gearing up to be a busy Thursday for Big Red, with launches slated for the Droid Bionic, Motorola Xoom 4G, BlackBerry Curve 9370 (the LTE cousin of 'Apollo'?) and Samsung Stratosphere -- the operator's rumored Galaxy S II variant. The end of the month gets a 2.3 combo of Gingerbread phones as the Samsung Illusion (codenamed Viper), and HTC Bliss touch down on the 29th. Refreshes for a couple of the carrier's early LTE phones debut in October, when the Thunderbolt gets pushed aside by the virile HTC Vigor and LG gets a redo with the Revolution 2. Samsung's Galaxy Tab P8 (most likely the Galaxy Tab 8.9) gets an unconfirmed November mention, while BlackBerry's PlayBook languishes in a release date grey zone. Ready for that end-of-year upgrade? From the looks of things, there'll be no dearth of options.
